Electric-light socket and key.



Innuendo:

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAR. 27

o. 0. COVER. ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET AND KEY.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 12, 190 1.

No. 816,436. PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906. O. 0. COVER.

ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET AND KEY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' (Java fox UAW e72 6. 62 7 67 lvihmmzo I UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

OWEN o. coves, or cosnnn, INDIANA.

ELECTRIC-LIGHT SOCKET AND KEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March.2 7, 1906.

Application filed November 12, 1904. Serial No. 232,614.

, candle-power in either lamp.

The invention further comprises an improved holder and key for the lampsby which the latter may be controlled in the circuit for the purposes above named.

With these and other-objects in view the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved holderand key. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 1s 'a similar view with the upper section of the holder removed. Fig. 41s a vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 and viewed in the directionoi the arrow. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. -Fig. 6 is a reverse plan view of the holder and key. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the arts of my improved key when the connecte lamps are in series. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the con,- nected lamps are abreast. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit through a single lamp equipped with my improved key. Fig. 10 is a similar view showing a slight modification in the arrangement of the circuit.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, 1 desi nates the improved holder, having a centrzil screw-threaded plug or projection 2 for engagement with an incandescent lamp and provided with a turn-button orkey 3 carrying acontact portion or head 4, composed of insulating material and arranged within the holder, which latter has an upper removable ortion or section5, whereby access may be ad to the internal mechanism.

The zhOldGI' 1 is provided with an internal chamber 6 for the reception of the contacthead 4 and a pair of spring contact members or plates 7 and 8, retainedin place, respectively, by binding-posts or screws 9 10, of I which the latter has upon its inner end a nut 11, constitutin in practice a contact-point for the free en ofthe spring-plate 7, while the free end of the spring-plate 8 is adapted to contact with spring-plate 7 or a member or late 12, maintained. in lace b a screw 13,

P g Y there being also arran e to project into the chamber 6 a contact p ate or finger 14, maintained in place by a screw 15, and with which plate the free end of spring member 7 may contact under certain conditions,-as heretofore explained. The posts 9, 13, and 15 have ta ped thereon, within the body of the holder, tubular sleeveslfi, provided with transverse perforations 17 for the reception of the ends of electric wires 18, these wires being maintained in place by binding-screws 19, tapped into the ends of the sleeves 16, as seen more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, while upon the lower end of the holder 1 there is secured, b means of screws 20 and 20, a contact-p ate 2.1.

When the socket is used for turndown urposes in connection with another key-soc et, the screw 20 is in contact at its inner end with plate 14 and screw 20 supports plate 21 to the insulating-body.

When the holder is employed in connection with a single incandescent lamp in the usual manner and the button 4 is turned for moving the free end of spring-plate 7 into contact with the plate14 and the free end of late 8 into contact with plate 12, as seen in ig. 9, the circuit will be established through said plates, the screw or connection 20, plate 21, and post 2 through the lamp, this circuit being broken and the lamp extinguished by turning the button to the osition illustrated in Fig. 4, whereby the p ates 7 and 8 will move out of contact with the plates 12 and 14, or screws 20 and 9 may be interchanged, as seen in Fig. 10, thus completing the circuit through a, 14, 7, 20, 21, 22, 2, 213. 8, 12, .d,

and 0, thereby giving a double break at plates 12 and 14.

In Fi s 7 and 8 I have illustrated dia ammatically a pair of lamps 22 and 23, inc uded in amultiple or series circuit,in which is arranged a button or key 4 and sprin -arms 7 and 8, adapted for movement at t eir free ends into contact with points 11, 12,, and 14,

there being included in the circuit for lamp 23 a key-socket 24.

- IIO In practice when it is desired to light simply the lamp 22 the button 4 is turned to the position illustrated in Fig. 8, whereby the free end of sprin member 7 will contact with the point 14 and the free end of spring 8 with the point 12, the key-socket or lamp 23 being under these circumstances turned 0H. Thus the circuit will be established through a wire a, contact 14, connection 20, plate 21, lamp 22, post 2, plate 21, spring member 8, con tact 12, wire (1, and a wire 0, thereby cutting out the lamp 23, the circuit therethrough being broken at key-socket 24 in the lamp 23, and thus giving the full strength or candlepower of the lamp 22. If, however, a dim light is desired, both lamps are brought into circuit by turning the button 4 to the position illustrated in Fig. 7 and turnin in the keysocket at lamp 23, thus esta lishing the circuit of the lamps 22 and 23 in series through the wire a, contact 14, connection 20, plate 21, lam 22, 0st 2, connection 21, plate 8, plate 7, wire lamp 23, and wire 0, whereby the strength of the currentwill be divided between the lamps and a dim or turned-down effect obtained in both lamps if of about the same resistance.

It is to be particularly noted that the plates 7 an d 8 are of substantially semicardioid form and curved gradually from end to end in reverse directions, whereby the key 4 may be readily turned, and this without bending the plates short, this feature contributing largely to the ease of operation of the device.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple efficient device whereby one or more lamps may be readily controlled in series or in multiple for obtaining a fullstrength or dim light. In attaining these ends it is to be understood that minor changes in the details herein set forth may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Havin thus fully described the invention, what is c aimed as new isl. A device of the class described comprising a body having-a chamber and a lampengaging post terminating within the chamber, a pair of oppositely-dis osed spring contact members sustained within the chamber, a fixed contact with which the free end of one of the members may engage, a pair of spaced fixed contacts between which the free end of the other memberis adapted for movement and with either of which it may engage, and

an operating member common to and adapted for moving both of the spring members.

2. In an electric-lamp system, a circuit. having a pair of lamps included therein, a pair of oppositely-dis osed spring contact members arran ed wit in the circuit, a fixed contact with wiich one of the spring members may engage, a pair of fixed contacts between Which the other spring member is adapted for movement and with either of which it may engage, and anoperating mem ber common to both of the spring members for actuatin the same to circuit the lamps in series or mu tiple.

3. In an electric-lamp system acircuit con taining a pair of lamps, a socket having a pair of spaced contacts, an oppositely-disposed fiXed contact, and contact members one of which is operable between the spaced contacts and the other operable with relation to the fixed contact, and means for operating said contact members to divide the circuit through both of said contact members or through but one of said members, whereby to arrange the lamps in series or in parallel circuit.

4. A11 electric-lamp system including a pair of lam s, a socket having spaced contacts inclu ed in the circuit of one of said lamps, oppositely-disposed spaced contacts included in the circuit of the other lamp, and spring-contact members adapted for operatlon to connect the first-mentioned spaced contacts and connect the lamps in parallel or to disconnect one of each of said pair of spaced contacts and thereby connect the lamps in series.

5. A socket for electric-lighting systems comprising a body having oppositely-disposed spaced contacts, spring contact members arranged within the body and respectively connected at opposite ends to one of each of said pair of spaced contacts, the remainin ends of each of said contact members being free, and means for operating said contact members to include all of said spaced contacts'in the circuit or but one of each of said pairs of contacts.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

owEN 0. COVER.

Witnesses:

LEwIs E. Imus, FRANK H. SHAFFER. 

